Cap Blanc-Nez

Escalles

A headland swept by the open sea's wind, where the white chalk plunges sheer into the Channel, facing England.

Cap Blanc-Nez forms, with its twin Cap Gris-Nez, the "Grand Site des Deux Caps," the stretch of the Opal Coast closest to England, visible there on clear days. Its white chalk cliffs, the northern extension of the Artois anticline, overlook the Strait of Dover. The site, listed and awarded Grand Site de France status in 2011, draws about 2.5 million visitors a year.

Getting there : Grand Site de France since 2011; protected by the Pas-de-Calais department and the Conservatoire du littoral since 1987; Natura 2000 site; free access via the coastal path (GR120), car park at Escalles

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound